Pour spout



A. C. PETITTO Oct. 27, 1964 POUR SPOUT Filed Oct. 2.1961

INVENTOR. ALBERT C. PETITTO BY MW ATTORNEX United States Patent Ofilice 3,154,226 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 3,154,226 POUR SPUUT Albert C. Petitto, Hudson, Mass, assignor to Foster Grant 00., Inc, Leominster, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 142,247 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-523) This invention relates generally to the art of closures for containers. More specifically, this invention relates to a novel and advantageous pour spout for use with conventional containers.

The art of providing pour spouts for containers is highly developed. Many expedients have been employed to provide reclosable spouts for containers. In most cases, the prior art has resorted to plural component spouts which are manually operated. Such spouts present manufacturing difiiculties, i.e., individual parts must be formed and then later assembled. In certain uses, manual operation of the pour spout is undesirable. For example, when providing spouts for heavy syrups, viz. maple syrup, a manually operated spout is highly undesirable. The spout in use retains a portion of the syrup or material flowing therethrough and upon subsequent use presents a sticky, messy surface which must be handled by the user in order to open and close the spout. Because of these disadvantages of conventional, reclosable spouts, the art has long sought an automatically operated, inexpensive one piece pour spout.

One object of this invention is to provide a plastic reclosable pour spout which may be automatically o erated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plastic reclosable pour spout which may be manufactured as a single unit in an economically feasible manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a plastic self-sealing reclosable pour spout which is reusable, i.e., one which can be used on several different containers.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a plastic, reclosable pour spout which can be employed with conventional containers such as conventional jars having screw caps thereon.

I have found that a one piece pour spout can be formed 7 FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a pour spout of my 7 invention in an open position.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a pour spout of my invention in a closed position.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the pour spout shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a pour spot of my invention taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a pour spout of my invention shown in assembly with a conventional glass jar and cap.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken through line 6-6 of FIGURE 2 showing the pour spout of my invention in a closed position with the cap positioned thereover.

I prefer to employ a single piece plastic unit for the reclosable pour spout of my invention. The pour spout may be formed by molding said unit employing conventional plastic molding techniques. Polyethylene is a particularly suitable material for use in the present invention although other thermoplastic materials having similar properties may be employed. It is only necessary that the material employed be capable of resilient deformation as will be described hereinafter.

FIGURE 1 shows a typical pour spout unit 10 of my invention. As shown in the drawings, the pour spout is adapted to be used in conjunction with a conventional container such as a glass jar 41 and lid or cap 41). The outer periphery of the pour spout comprises a rim member 17 having a short lip or boss 11 projecting outwardly therefrom. It should be understood that the particular outer periphery may be of any size or shape depending upon the size and shape of the container opening to which the pour spout is to be attached. The outer rim 17 may be threaded if desired or attached to a container by any conventional means. The particular method of attachment is not critical and in the drawings is shown merely as a simple force fit joint. A substantially planar base member 15 is located between the ends 11 and 19 of the rim 17. The planar base 15 is provided with a triangular shaped cut-out portion 4-3 which forms an opening between the upper and lower surfaces of said base member. Integral walls 12, 13, 14 and 16 extend upwardly from the base member above the cut-out portion thereof to form a hood or spout member. These walls are joined at narrowed or restricted portions 31, 32, 34 and 35 and at a bend line between walls 14 and 16. The bend line between walls 14 and 16 may be narrowed or restricted if desired, depending on the materials and overall dimensions employed. The restricted portions allow ease of bending and flexing at these points. Walls 12, 13, 14 and 16 are preferably substantially planar, but may be slightly curved if desired. These walls preferably have a slight are at their sides forming the opening in the spout.

As shown in the figures, walls 12, 13, 14 and 16 meet at point 19a on the triangular shaped cut-out portion 43. It should be understood that although a triangular cutout portion 43 is shown and described it is also possible to employ other shapes for the cut-out portion. For example, a rectangular or circular cut-out may be formed in the base member 15. Obviously, in such cases the wall members 12, 13, 14 and 16 may be supplemented or changed in shape so as to act in the same manner as shown herein.

FIGURES 5 and 6 show the spout of my invention employed as a closure for a jar 41. The jar is a conventional glass container having a screw threaded neck portion 42 and a mating screw threaded lid 40. In FIGURE 5 the spout is shown in its open position and the lid 41) is positioned over the jar 41. In the open position the contents of the jar may be poured therefrom through the opening formed by the spout member. FIG- URE 6 illustrates the spout member in its closed position with walls 14 and 16 being depressed and overlapping and in contact with walls 12 and 13 respectively.

As clearly shown in the drawings the walls 14 and 16 are enlarged at their uppermost portion to provide a seal when the hood is in its closed position. The thickness of the enlarged portion of walls 14 and 16 is preferably substantially equal to double the thickness of the nwow portion of walls 14 and 16 or similarly substantially equal to the combined thickness of wall 12 and the narrow portion of wall 14. The length of thin portions ab of walls 14 and 16 are preferably substantially equal to the length b-c of walls 12 and 13 respectively. As a result of the above recited leng h and thickness proportions, when the hood is forced into contact with base 15, edge portions 44 and 4-5 of walls 16 and 14 respectively seal the cut-out 43 and prevent undesirable leakage if the container is tipped in usage.

Preferably, the height of wall 18 on the inner portion of the rim 17 is so arranged that when the lid member is screwed firmly into place, the hood or walls of the spout member are depressed and a slight positive pressure is exerted thereon holding them firmly in the closed position as shown in FIGURE 5. Thus, the height of wall 18 is preferably equal to or less than the combined thickness of wall 12 and the narrow portion of wall 14. Similarly the height of wall 18 is preferably equal to or less than the combined thickness of wall 13 and the norrow portion of wall 16.

The operation of the spout of my invention is substantially automatic and requires no manual manipulation. The spout member may be molded in the open position in the shape shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. As a result of such molding, the spout member has a permanent set and tends to stay in or return to the open position shown. The closure of the spout member is automatically produced by merely screwing the lid of the jar firmly over said spout member onto the jar or container neck. Thus, grasping the lid in one hand and positioning it substantially above the neck member 42, one applies pressure to the point of the hood or spout member and resiliently deforms such spout member until the position shown at FIGURES 2 and 6 is attained. Upon unscrewing the cap member, due to the resilient nature of the hood and the fact that the member has not been deformed beyond its elastic limits, the hood will instantly pop-up or return to its original open position. In some instances, for example after the spout or hood has been held in its closed position for an extremely long period of time, it is desirable to aid the opening of thespout by squeezing the narrowed portions 32 and 34 towards each other. It is obvious that if the container upon which the spout member is aflixed is to be reused, said container may be refilled through the opening in .the hood or alternatively the spout member may be removed from the container, the container refilled and the spout member replaced. Further, the spout member may be transferred from one jar to another as the contents are emptied.

In a specific preferred embodiment of my invention I employ molded, one piece, polyethylene pour spout unit as shown in FIGURES l-6, having an inner rim diameter of 2 inches. Base 15 is located on the half inch wide rim 17 so that wall 18 has a height of approximately inch. A triangular cut-out portion 43 is located at base 15 having an angle of 52 degrees at point 19 and two equal angles of 64 degrees. The longer sides of the triangular shaped cut-out are approximately 1% inches long and the short side is approximately l /sinches long. Integral walls 12, 13 and the thin sections of walls 14 and 16 are approximately 14 inch thick While the thick sections of walls 14 and 16 are approximately /s inch thick. Distances a-b and bc are approximately inch. The

total length of each of walls 14 and 16 is inch. The length of the narrowed bend lines between walls 12 and 14 and between walls 13 and 16 is approximately 1 A inches and the length of the bend line between walls 14 and 16 is 1% inches.

It should be understood that although I have shown certain preferred embodiments of my invention, many changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is set forth in the appended claims which are to be construed as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A one piece molded plastic pour spout for use in conjunction with an open mouth container, said pour spout comprising:

a base portion adapted to be attached to the mouth of the container;

a substantially triangular opening in said base portion, said opening defined by a base and two sides;

a hood extending upwardly of the base portion;

said hood comprising resilient side walls of a given thickness upstanding from the two sides of said triangular opening;

said resilient side walls including a first section upstanding from said sides of said triangular opening;

a second section forming a continuation of said first section and being of substantially the same thickness as said first section;

said first and second sections being joined along lines of reduced thickness with respect to said first and second sections;

said lines extending from the juncture of the two sides of the triangular opening to the open edge of the hood and dividing said side wall portions into substantially equal sections so as to allow bending and flexing along said lines when said hood is closed;

a top Wall portion means joining said resilient side Walls and being at least twice as thick as said resilient side walls;

whereby said side and top wall portions form a spout over said opening when said hood is in open position, and cooperate to seal said triangular opening when said hood is in closed position.

2. A pour spout as defined by claim 1 wherein the plastic pour spout is constructed of polyethylene.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,366,006 Jehn Jan. 18, 1921 2,077,341 Martin et al Apr. 13, 1937 2,249,574 Morrison July 15, 1941 2,757,830 Hansen Aug. 7, 1956 2,898,018 Borah Aug. 4, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 328,768 Great Britain May 8, 1930 631,370 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1949 741,427 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1955 760,495 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1956 

1. A ONE PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC POUR SPOUT FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN OPEN MOUTH CONTAINER, SAID POUR SPOUT COMPRISING: A BASE PORTION ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO THE MOUTH OF THE CONTAINER; A SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR OPENING IN SAID BASE PORTION, SAID OPENING DEFINED BY A BASE AND TWO SIDES; A HOOD EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF THE BASE PORTION; SAID HOOD COMPRISING RESILIENT SIDE WALLS OF A GIVEN THICKNESS UPSTANDING FROM THE TWO SIDES OF SAID TRIANGULAR OPENING; SAID RESILIENT SIDE WALLS INCLUDING A FIRST SECTION UPSTANDING FROM SAID SIDES OF SAID TRIANGULAR OPENING; A SECOND SECTION FORMING A CONTINUATION OF SAID FIRST SECTION AND BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME THICKNESS AS SAID FIRST SECTION; SAID FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS BEING JOINED ALONG LINES OF REDUCED THICKNESS WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS; SAID LINES EXTENDING FROM THE JUNCTURE OF THE TWO SIDES OF THE TRIANGULAR OPENING TO THE OPEN EDGE OF THE HOOD AND DIVIDING SAID SIDE WALL PORTIONS INTO SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL SECTIONS SO AS TO ALLOW BENDING AND FLEXING ALONG SAID LINES WHEN SAID HOOD IS CLOSED; A TOP WALL PORTION MEANS JOINING SAID RESILIENT SIDE WALLS AND BEING AT LEAST TWICE AS THICK AS SAID RESILIENT SIDE WALLS; WHEREBY SAID SIDE AND TOP WALL PORTIONS FORM A SPOUT OVER SAID OPENING WHEN SAID HOOD IS IN OPEN POSITION, AND COOPERATE TO SEAL SAID TRIANGULAR OPENING WHEN SAID HOOD IS IN CLOSED POSITION. 